Going for gold

Anthea Bath is passionate about mining. Yet, as a young chemical engineering graduate in Pretoria, South Africa, the last thing she envisioned was a career in the mining industry. Her early roles as a management consultant for an IT firm and various other roles, including market research and intelligence, suggested a different course.

As she discusses her two-decade journey in mining, which she began as Head of Market Development and Intelligence at Anglo American Platinum, she reflects on how to attract the next generation to join the industry.

“Mining offers some of the most interesting careers out there, so I’m so grateful I found the industry,” Bath tells The CEO Magazine. “Once you are in mining, it forms part of your DNA, and becomes a big part of your life.” 

That innate passion fueled her as COO at Vancouver’s Ero Copper. “Now my heart pumps gold,” she says, referring to her current position as President and CEO of Wesdome Gold Mines, a Canadian gold producer with two operating mines: the Eagle River Mine near Wawa, Ontario and the Kiena Mine in Val-d’Or, Québec. 

In the role since July 2023, what attracted Bath to Wesdome is the quality of the company – the jurisdiction, the assets and, most importantly, the people.  The appeal also lay in the 30-year history of the wholly Canadian-focused operation and in its exciting future potential. 

A bright vision

Both operations at Wesdome still have untapped potential, including excess mill capacity, optimization opportunities and exploration that Bath is keen to pursue. The strategic focus going forward is to optimize the operations and expand the company’s production profile. 

Eagle River and Kiena are each expected to produce 80,000–90,000 ounces of gold in 2024. So far this year, Wesdome is on track to achieve its 2024 production and cost guidance. As well, since taking the helm, Bath has led Wesdome into a strong cash position and paid off its bank debt. 

Her vision is clear. “Our vision is to become a value-driven mining company built on a culture of ownership and care,” she says. “We are working on how we grow Wesdome as an organization over the next couple of years and how we drive it based on a set of core values that we all abide by.” 

Bath elaborates on these values, emphasizing their importance for the company’s culture and operations. She and her team feel strongly that the values of safety, ownership, care and excellence drive value for shareholders.

“It’s a non-negotiable to uphold our operating record of safe and responsible mining,” she says. 

Cultivating a workforce that is dynamic and engaged is another aim, alongside strong community relationships.

“We believe that we make a positive impact through our community engagement and our social responsibility program,” Bath explains. 

The company supports local Indigenous businesses through a variety of contracts, and one example she points to is a significant growth maintenance contract awarded to its Indigenous partner community.

“Our engagement procedures with our First Nations population are really imperative,” she says.

The place to be

At its core, Wesdome has two strong, high-grade producing assets. Bath knows that to maximize the potential of these assets, you need good people.

“What we have is both,” she says. “Over the last 30 years, Wesdome’s mines have produced close to two million ounces of gold. That could not have been accomplished without the team of special people who work here. They are our heartbeat.” 

Bath hopes to encourage more of the younger generation to join the mining industry, although in today’s world that is a challenge.

“As an industry, we need to keep driving the message that mining offers great career opportunities and is where you want to be,” she explains. “We need to change the perception, to make it an attractive industry to young people.”

After all, she says, mining is multifaceted, which makes it very challenging and interesting.

“You affect so many stakeholders and can have such a major and positive impact,” she adds.

In an increasingly complex world, precious metals and minerals will continue to be integral to the future.

“As an industry, we need to keep driving the message that this is the place you want to be,” she says. “Trust me, you won’t leave the mining industry once you’re in it – you’ll love it as much as I do.”